Redirect checker
Follow any URL's redirects hop by hop: status codes, destinations and timing. Catches loops, long chains, 302s on permanent moves, and www/HTTPS variants that don't agree.
What this measures
This checker follows a URL's redirects one hop at a time, recording each status code (301, 302, 307, 308…), where it points next, and how long it took — exactly what a browser or Googlebot goes through. It flags loops, chains that are too long, temporary codes used for permanent moves, and HTTPS downgrades. Enter a bare domain and it also traces all four ways to type it — http and https, with and without www — to confirm they end on a single canonical URL.
How to read your result
- 301 and 308 — permanent
- The page has moved for good. Browsers cache the move and search engines transfer the old URL's signals to the new one. Use these for HTTP→HTTPS, www/non-www, and retired URLs. 308 also guarantees the request method (a form POST stays a POST).
- 302 and 307 — temporary
- The move is meant to be undone, so browsers keep checking the original URL. Fine for short-lived cases like maintenance or A/B tests; a warning sign when used on permanent moves.
- Hop timings
- Each hop is a full request — DNS, connection and server response — before the next one starts. Two or three hops can add a few hundred milliseconds to every visit that lands on an old URL.
- The variants table
- Shows where http://, https://, http://www and https://www each end up. All four ending on the same URL is the healthy state; different endings mean search engines can see duplicate copies of the site.
Common causes & fixes
- Redirect loop
- Two rules send visitors back and forth. The classic cause is a CDN or proxy in "Flexible" SSL mode talking HTTP to a server that redirects everything to HTTPS — switch the proxy to Full (strict). Conflicting www and non-www rules are the other usual suspect.
- Long chain
- Rules stacked over the years — http→https, then non-www→www, then an old slug→new slug. Rewrite them so every legacy URL jumps straight to its final destination in one hop.
- 302 on a permanent move
- Server and plugin defaults often emit 302. For permanent moves, change it to 301 (or 308) so caches remember it and search engines consolidate on the destination.
- Variants that don't converge
- Pick one canonical version — usually https with or without www — and 301 every other variant to it. Make sure each variant also has a DNS record and a valid certificate, or it fails before it can redirect.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check where a URL redirects?
Enter it above. The checker requests the URL without following redirects automatically, records the status and Location of each response, and repeats until it reaches a page that answers directly.
Is a 301 or a 302 better for SEO?
Use 301 (or 308) when the move is permanent and 302 (or 307) when it's temporary. Google treats both as signals, but a permanent redirect is the clearest instruction to index the destination instead of the original.
How many redirects are too many?
One is normal, two is a cost worth removing, and anything near ten is broken — browsers give up around twenty, and crawlers may stop following earlier. Every hop also adds a round trip of delay.
What causes ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS?
A redirect loop: the chain returns to a URL it already visited. This checker detects the loop and shows the two hops sending visitors back and forth.